


Into the Grey-Green Waves

by juniperwillows



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coming of Age, Family Feels, Family Issues, Gen, Secrets, Superpowers, Teenage Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2020-06-27 18:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19796476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juniperwillows/pseuds/juniperwillows
Summary: Will forgot sometimes that he grew up in Central City. It just didn’t seem important, after the revelation about his father and all the near death experiences that followed, one after another. But now, returning to Star City after eight months in hiding, his hometown is the one thing he can’t seem to escape.Metahuman William AU





	1. Chapter 1

The countryside fled past outside the window, covered in a thin dusting of snow. Will leaned his forehead against the cool glass, trying to calm the dull pounding that seemed to have taken residence in his skull for the entirety of midterms week. 

The sub-par sleep over the past few weeks - _years_ \- definitely didn’t help. First it had been tests and projects and always something to complete, and then the countless meeting with the teachers and staff and finally the principal. But now it was the dreams. 

Actually, it had always been the dreams. 

William settled a bit further down in his seat, pulled his jacket tighter around himself. 

The train was slowing again as they approached another town and he couldn’t help his eyes from straying to the window. 

There were a couple kids having snowball fight in a parking lot and Will felt a dull twinge of longing. He pulled his eyes away, back to the book that had been on the same page for an hour, but the feeling remained. 

The woman next to him let out a soft snore, her glasses slipping off her face and dropping softly into her lap. 

William finally admitted to himself that he wasn’t going to read anything more and pulled out his phone instead, wincing as he caught sight of the time. The trip had gone much faster than he had expected. 

Just under an hour to figure out how to explain everything to Felicity and Oliver. 

He was fairly certain that no matter what, it was not going to be a fun conversation. 

At least he could rest assured that he was never going back to that school. 

Getting expelled kinda ensured that.

_“Frankly, we’ve let this kind of behavior go on too long. The list of misdemeanors is lengthy: sneaking out of your dorm, skipping mealtimes, refusing to participate in extracurriculars, your general refusal to act pleasantly towards any of your classmates, the incident with the pool, flooding the bathroom, and finally, your attack on young Mr. Mizner.”_

Isaac Mizner had attended Cambridge Academy since he was seven and was, in William’s opinion, a cocky idiot. 

However, he’d been around so long that the entire facility seemed to consider him a part of their family. 

And Will? Will had been labelled the new troublemaker since his first week.

In his defense, they shouldn’t have left the doors unlocked after curfew if they didn’t want people leaving. 

Chewing on his lip, William pulled up the fake website he’d hastily put together in the last couple days and clicked through it. There was no way Felicity “tech wizard” Smoak wouldn’t see straight through it. 

He rubbed one hand over his face and shoved his phone back into his bag. Maybe he could stall for a few days just so they could have some peace and quiet, for once?

There were getting close to Star City now, great monoliths of concrete and glass rising up in the distance. He could see the building that used to been Queen Consolidated poking up on the north side of the city. The fields turned into back roads and back roads turned into streets and then they were passing long lines of frustrated looking drivers waiting for the train to pass. 

William zipped up his backpack and brushed off his clothes, and tried to ignore his quickening heart. 

He wasn’t sure if he could do this. No, he had to, he _could._

And then they were pulling into the bustling train station and he was being swept along by crowds eager to get where they were going. He was tempted to duck into the restroom and wash his hands, just to stall a little longer, but a voice called. 

“William?”

And he turned to see Felicity standing there in one of her classic pink coats, all dye gone from here hair, looking so at home, so _Felicity_ that he couldn’t help the wave of anger that washed over him. 

And then she was hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe. He realized distantly that they were almost the same height now. 

“I missed you.” Her eyes were shining faintly when she pulled away.

And Will was only able to dredge up a short nod. All he could think was _liar._

Her smile seemed to falter a bit as she took in his expression. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Just tired.” He shrugged. “Can we head home?”

“Oh, of course! Let’s go.” She led him out into the chilly air, glancing back over at him every five seconds like she was afraid he’d disappear. “Your father wanted to be here, but he had a...thing. You’ll see when we get home.”

To be honest, William hadn’t really noticed. Those five months in witness protection with Felicity he’d stopped expecting to see his father walk in the door and join them for dinner. And now? They were coming up on eight months since his dad had hugged him goodbye and turned himself in. He wasn’t sure he’d actually believe his father had been freed until he’d seen it with his own eyes.

Still, it would have been nice to see Oliver make the effort. 

_Guess this was just another reminder that I’m not his top priority._ William thought bitterly. He’d never be. 

He watched Star City go by in the car window, mhhumming his way through Felicity’s small talk, hands clenched tightly in his lap as they wound closer to the apartment. 

His heart was pounding by the time Felicity was unlocking the door.

“Surprise!” He heard her announce and forced himself to take a deep breath and go in.

His father was there, looking years older, with a beard of scruff and...a film crew?

His arms came up to hug his father involuntarily and part of him just wanted to collapse right there and tell him everything.

But two cameras had swiveled to them, one hurrying up to get a better shot, and William stayed silent.

“Hey, buddy, hey. Kiddo, how are you?” His dad said, and again that thin surge anger swept through him.

 _Buddy. Kiddo._ It was like his dad thought they could just go on like everything was normal, like he’d never gone to prison and Will hadn’t lived for five months in a strange town afraid every day that Diaz would track them down. Like he hadn’t spent another three months alone at a boarding school with a new name and memorized background.

“I think I’ve grown out of kiddo.” He managed to say, eyeing the camerawoman next to them.

“Yeah. Ok. All right.” His dad acquiesced quietly, smiling at him.

“Well who gave you permission to grow so tall, my god.” Felicity announced and wow, were they doing this? Just pretending the cameras weren’t here? 

Had they become a reality TV show while he was gone? 

“You must be so excited to be done with midterms. And finally come home and relax, you know-”

William couldn’t hold back the question when the woman circled fully around them with the camera. “What’s this?” He nodded at the film crew.

“Oh, right.” His father said, blinking like he’d forgotten they were there. “ Ms. Pedowitz is doing a documentary on vigilantes, and the SCPD and i thought I it might be a way to, uh, improve public opinion on the work I’m doing.”

A nice way of saying he was starring in a documentary on vigilantes so the public wouldn’t turn on him and toss him in jail. Again. 

The woman - Ms. Pedowitz- was speaking. “I’ve been collecting interviews for years and I couldn’t get the funding I needed to finish it until your dad went public.”

 _Until my dad went to jail for life, you mean. But by_ all _means, good for you._

“Well, the timing is perfect.” Felicity interjected, fidgeting a bit as she looked from Will to the camera. “I mean, what with you working with the SCPD and, you know, full transparency. But this isn’t gonna be in the film right? We can-”

“We need all of this edited out.” Oliver told the woman in charge. “I don’t want my son on camera.”

Like Will hadn’t walked out there with Oliver when he’d made his confession and stood with Felicity in the camera’s eye. He’d seen the news footage, the articles that Felicity tried to hide from him.

_“Stoic Queen Heir Unbothered by Father’s Arrest”_

_“Illegitimate Heir Disappears with Queen Inheritance?”_

_“Son or Scam?Check out these five clues that prove William is not Queen’s son.”_

_“Queen Heir Disowns Father Following Arrest and Sentence, Disappears”_

_“New Sources Suggest Queen’s Vanished Family Were Golddiggers”_

Besides, he thought bitterly, all the bad guys seemed to know his identity already. What were the paparazzi compared to murderers and madmen?

“Mr. Queen, I have a few more questions for you, if that’s alright.” The woman was saying. Oliver hesitated, looking to William.

Yet again, other priorities. 

“I’m pretty tired from the trip.” Will murmured with a half hearted shrug, taking mercy on his father. “I’m gonna grab some water and go unpack.”

“I’ll help!” Felicity offered with a smile.

“No,” Will said sharply, then took a deep breath and forced himself to lighten his tone. “Thanks but I’m good. I don’t have that much anyway.”

Felicity blinked, looking a bit hurt. “Of course. That’s fine.” 

Slipping past Felicity into the kitchen area, he stiffened, suddenly remembering why this was a bad idea. But now everyone was waiting on him, so he filled up a glass as fast as he could, heart starting to thump in his chest. 

Will sent one last wary look at the camera crew and hiked his bag up on his shoulder, moving to his door.

He shut it tight behind him, dropping his bags into the floor immediately, and rushed over to his desk to set the glass down.

Felicity and Oliver must have had the place cleaned in anticipation of his arrival because there wasn’t a spot of dust of his shelves and the sheets still smelled like detergent. 

Nothing had been changed. It was like he walked out of this room eight months ago and returned a moment later. And yet, the room no longer felt like his. 

The model airplanes seemed childish and silly and the sports themed memorabilia just made him wince. 

He collapsed into his bed, teeth worrying at his lip as he let his stoic expression fade away. 

Felicity wasn’t stupid, she definitely would have questioned why he’d brought _all_ his stuff home for what was supposed to be a short week long visit. Not to mention the letter addressed to his parents sitting crumpled at the bottom of his duffle. And the thick folder of sheets printed out at the library on metahumans.

He should probably hide that while he had the chance. 

With a tired groan, he pushed himself to his feet and dragged his bags over to the closet.

Where did you hide stuff from a vigilante/police “consultant” anyway? Oliver probably knew every trick in the book. 

In the end, Will gave up and shoved the folder and the letter behind some boxes and sat back on his bed.

They must have gone back to the interview, because Oliver’s muffled voice was filtering through his door. 

A spike of something like sadness rushed through Will and he took a sudden breath, trying to shove it back down. 

A few months ago, he hadn't let himself imagine he’d ever be back here, in this apartment, with Felicity and Oliver just a few yards away. All safe and whole. 

But this time, William was gonna be the one to screw it all up. 

He leaned forward, grinding his palms into his eyes. _No,_ it was fine. Everything was fine. He could handle this. He just had to keep his mouth shut and not _do_ anything. 

* * *

_He was drowning._

_Thrashing did nothing but make his lungs burn more, hands waving in the honey thick water, unable to gain traction._

_He forced his eyes open, but all that was visible was a haze of empty blue. No up, no down. No surface in sight. Just blue. Blinding, crushing blue, for eternity._

_His lungs felt like an inferno now._

_He strained upwards, kicking with all his might. Surely the surface was there, it_ had _to be there._

_But there was only blue._

_His lungs spasmed and he took a breath without a conscious thought, but there was no air to breathe, just cold water washing across his teeth, filling his mouth, pouring into his lungs._

_He was dying._

* * *

William gasped awake, sweet air flooding his lungs. 

He shakily pushed himself up, shoving off an unfamiliar blanket, and buried his sweaty head in his hands. 

“You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay.” He whispered to himself, so quiet it was almost inaudible, clinging to the repetition until his heart rate finally slowed and he could sit up.

The clock beside his bed blinked 6:43 pm. Someone must have come in and covered him up, because the lights were off and his glass of water now rested innocently on his bedside table. Will shuddered and turned away.

He still felt shaky and cold, so he grabbed a towel and his bathing suit and padded down the hall to the bathroom. Cranking the water as hot as it would go, he sat on the closed toilet lid and watched as the steam slowly began to fill the room in soft, billowing clouds. 

He was about to step in when it hit him that he’d forgotten to actually _put up_ the fake website after he’d finalized it. Will shut off the water and skidded back into his room, fumbling for his tablet.

It connected to the wifi with a soft chime and he was already navigating to the page when a window popped up from his security software, informing him of a firewall breach.

“What?” He muttered, heart rate spiking. 

It took him a moment to find the well-hidden program linking his computer to another, giving them access to...his whole tablet...Game Stats, messages, search history, location, _everything._

_Felicity._

He’d never dressed so quickly, marching out into the living room and snapping. “Take it off.” 

“What?” Felicity’s voice was distracted as she peered down at her screen, clearly focused on something else. 

Just like _always._

“The worm or virus or trojan horse you put on my tablet.” He told her, voice rising. “Take it off right now.”

Felicity turned, and she was _smiling._ “I didn’t put anything-”

The blatant lie bit into him. All these months, and she was still a liar.

“I found a firewall breach with a bluetooth incursion.” He retorted. “It _had_ to be you.”

He shoved the tablet at Felicity _hard_ , but it didn’t ease the pent up anger burning in his chest. 

“Ok, whoa.” Her eyes went wide as she took the tablet. “I programmed a virus so that it would infect anything that tried to log on to our WiFi for security purposes. It wasn’t personal.”

 _Suuure_. And it just so happened that it also had the ability to track _everything._ It was a tracker, there was no need to deny it. He wasn’t some little kid who needed _parental controls_ on his devices. 

“Take it off right now.” He demanded, despite the fact that she was already typing. 

“Ok, whoa. What is going on with you? I haven’t seen anybody this unhappy to be home since I had to go back to Vegas after my first year of MIT.”

“I just pissed about my tablet.” 

And the fact that she was _tracking_ him.

“You were pissed a long time before you found my virus, which is for your _protection_ by the way. Really good job of finding it, I mean…” 

But Will snatched his tablet back, turned on a heel, and strode for his bedroom, trying to calm the ball of anger burning in his chest.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Felicity called after him.

That was the _last_ thing he wanted to do. He couldn’t stand looking at her face for more than a few minutes without wanting to _scream_ at her _._ If they ended up _talking_ , something might explode. 

“No.” He ground out, hoping she would let it go. 

The school counselor always backed off when he snapped at her, shaking of her head and adding yet another mark in his file. 

But Felicity sighed and Will heard rustling as she stood. 

“That wasn’t so much as a suggestion as it was more one of those “mom” things where if you don’t talk now, you’re grounded. So…” She trailed off.

He ground his jaw, stopping in his tracks. Like she had any right to tell him what to do after _abandoning_ him for three months. 

Will spun around suddenly. “Why didn’t you let me come home for Christmas break?

She relaxed slightly, almost to say _oh that's all?,_ a reminiscent smile tugging at her lips. “Oh well, trust me, things here were very complicated.” 

Well, things at school had been even worse, he could _guarantee_ it. Blue flashed in the corner of his vision and Will took a sharp breath, mentally shoving it away.

“I was the _only_ kid left at school," He snapped. "And then, when I come back here, dad in the middle of making some movie.”

She made a face. “Documentary.”

His fists clenched at the dismissal, and she seemed to realize that was the wrong thing to say.

“I’m sorry.” She sighed, taking several steps forward, tone beseeching. “I thought you’d be happy to be home. _We’re_ so happy that you’re home. We missed you.”

Will took a step back, bit out. “Then you shouldn’t have sent me away.”

“That is not fair.” And her voice actually trembled. 

Why was she getting emotional? She wasn’t the one left in Massachusettseven after Diaz was captured, even after she _promised-._

 _No._ The hurt in her eyes would have made him feel bad three months ago. Now, he couldn’t bring himself to care. _She deserved it._ His mind decided. 

“Yeah, well, neither is getting shipped off to boarding school.” Will ground out.

He suddenly realized the angry pressure building to a dangerous, _familiar,_ swell in his chest and turned, panic threatening at the edges of mind. 

A dull creak sounded from the kitchen and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the faucet began to leak, a small stream of water shooting out the side.

_Shit._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for panic attacks, flashbacks, PTSD, anxiety, and self-hate. Be safe you guys!

Sure, escaping to Zoe’s might not have been the most mature thing to do, but he hadn’t been able to handle sitting around in that silent apartment with Felicity anymore. 

Where else was he supposed to go?

He hadn’t seen his only real friend in Star City in eight months. The rest of his buddies...well, they’d made it pretty clear after his father was arrested that they had no interest in being friends with the son of a convict. And seeing Zoe was worth enduring her father's suspicious glances.

He inched into the room, hoping that Mr. Ramirez bought the studying excuse and didn’t call Oliver. He’d kinda told Felicity he was going for a walk and the last thing he wanted was yet  _ another _ lecture.

“I’ll be in the next room...” Mr. Ramirez told them. He gave Will a final skeptical once over. “...cleaning my gun.”

Will barely managed not to roll his eyes because he wasn't sure he'd leave alive if he did. He had a brief mental image of Mr. Ramirez dangling him out of the apartment window by his feet, lecturing him on disrespect. 

Zoe, for her part, seemed to find the whole thing hilarious, rolling her eyes at her father’s antics. For all his insinuations, Zoe and Will were really just friends. Them dating...just _no_ _._

Will settled on the window seat next to her, shrugging off her questions about what was wrong. But she could tell something was off. The problem was, if she kept asking, Will knew he’d eventually crack. He’d only been able to keep everything a secret from her because they’d been apart. One look at his face, and Zoe could always see right through him. 

“Then what is it?” She asked, catching his eyes. 

“I don’t know.” He lied, shifting to stare at the rug. 

Zoe shot him a look. “I think you  _ do _ know, you just don’t want to tell me.” 

His chest ached. Will wanted to tell her, he really did, because then he wouldn’t feel so.... _alone._ But at the same time, the thought of someone else knowing, holding his secret, just made him feel sick. He searched Zoe’s face and found nothing but understanding, but yet...he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. It was just...too much of a chance. 

She looked away, giving a wry shrug. “Maybe it’s not the worst thing. My dad and Aunt Dinah fight instead of talk. Promise me we’ll never be like that?”

_ Depends on how angry you are once you learn the truth.  _ He couldn’t help but think.

But he nodded and shook pinkies, relief sweeping through him that she didn’t seem bothered by his silence. “You got it.” He promised, praying it wasn’t a lie. 

Will hesitated, dreading getting back on the bus and returning to the apartment that didn’t feel right anymore.

“Mind if I hang here for a few hours?” He asked, trying to hide his desperation. Somehow, he didn’t think it worked. “I really do not want to go back home.”

But Zoe, of course, just nodded and smiled. “Ok. We should probably open that geography book.”

* * *

After a couple hours, geography wasn’t a suitable excuse anymore and Mr. Ramirez had taken to poking his head in every two minutes for increasingly ridiculous reasons. Will finally went home when Zoe’s dad started vacuuming right next to them...on what happened to be a wood floor. 

Felicity wasn’t at the apartment, but she’d texted him that both she and Oliver had some business to attend to, which meant that it was probably vigilante related. On reflex, he turned on the news and settled on the couch, mentally preparing for reports of some attack, or a bombing, or a robbery.

He wasn’t expecting to find his father, adorned in his Green Arrow getup, speaking at some sort of town-hall discussion on...vigilantism?

“Over the past seven years star city has suffered through a weapon of mass destruction, an actual  _ army _ of soldiers, and nuclear weapons, now-” His father was saying. 

It was...unsettling... to see Oliver standing up there in the costume without his mask after Will had spent so long stressing over the secret.

_ “William, you can’t talk about this at school, or with your friends, or even with an adult, okay? Even if it’s me or Felicity, or any of the team, someone could overhear, especially in public. So no vigilante talk, okay bud? Lives depend on our identities staying secret.” _

After all, that was the cardinal rule of vigilantes, wasn’t it? To protect your identity at any cost? 

Will turned up the volume on the TV just in time to hear the mayor plow over Oliver’s words.

“And what happened seven year ago, I wonder?” S he snapped, frustration bleeding into her movements.  “Seven years ago, you started zip-lining through the city.  Your activities as the Hood and then the Green Arrow prompted the very same dangers that you claim that you saved us from.”

Will stilled, jaw dropping. His classmates had their own taunts, plenty of them, but they were nothing compared to this. This was the  _ mayor _ , blaming his father for everything bad that happened to the city in the past seven years...on  _ live TV. _

As if his father hadn’t given  _ everything  _ for this god forsaken place. Will shoved to his feet, dimly aware that he was shaking, pressure thrumming under his skin. He screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to take a breath.  _ Not now, not now, not now. _

And then the screaming started . 

Will jerked his head back to the TV. The screen had gone dim, but he could vaguely make out fleeing figures. His feet pulled him closer like that would help him see through the darkness on the other side. 

“Everyone clear out of here.” He heard his father yell over the chaos. Oliver’s voice had shifted into what William called “Green Arrow” mode, harsh and commanding. _Something was seriously wrong._

A moment later, the camera feed cut. 

Will stood there for a moment, the sudden silence pressing against him. When the feed finally changed to a confused looking news anchor in a studio, he unfroze, fumbling for his phone. His hand was skirting over the number 3 speed dial before he remembered Felicity would probably be handling the comms. Trying to get his dad out safely. 

Part of him wanted to call anyway, demand information, but... it would probably do more harm than good. She would call if there was danger... wouldn’t she? 

He set down his phone down  _ hard _ on the table and went to find his tablet instead. 

Will collapsed into the couch, chewing on his lip, only to end up standing up again a moment later. The room felt too  _ open _ , the darkness outside the large windows looming over him. He locked himself in the hall bathroom instead, folded his legs under him on the small bath mat. After a second, he turned on the faucet and let some water collect in the sink. 

Oliver was off fighting crime and Felicity was who-knows-where helping him, and Will...Will was alone. 

He took in a shaky breath, double checking the lock. What if someone came from  _ him _ ?

Will clenched his jaw against the sudden wave of dizzying fear. He was  _ fine _ . This was fine. Adrian was dead and Darhk was dead and Diaz was in prison... and yet...his father still had a hundred enemies left who would probably love to use Will as leverage.

Will curled low over his stomach, fighting to keep his breath even as his heart began to pound, his forehead brushing against the soft bath mat. 

_ I can’t do this now, not now.  _

Will wasn’t helpless _.  _ Not anymore. He could, he  _ would  _ fight back. No one was taking him. Everything was fine. It was all  _ fine _ .

Finally the fluttering edges of panic calmed and he was able to sit up, uncurling his fingers from their death grip on his tablet.

He settled himself on the floor, leaning back against the vanity, easily within reach of the sink.

Guess he was in for another night of obsessively refreshing news sites and listening for any suspicious creaks outside the thin doors. 

Yeah. A  _ totally _ normal spring break. 

* * *

It was only when Felicity texted she was on her way home that he ventured back out into the living room, watching the street below for her car. The door clicked and he spun around to see Felicity enter as the door announced  _ “Disarmed.”  _

She shot him a smile as if his father hadn’t just been attacked on live TV. “Hey kiddo, what’s up?”

Immediately his mind stuttered to a halt. It was just so... _casual._ Nothing in her tone suggested anything out of the ordinary. He'd spent the past few hours safe in the apartment trying not to panic and Felicity had been out there _coordinating_ it all and she wasn't even _fazed_.

“I saw what happened on the news.” He said, watching her face carefully as he moved closer. Surely if something bad had happened she would look distressed. But...maybe not. 

Maybe this had become her ordinary. Watching her husband risk his life everyday, wondering if one of his enemies would come for you. Maybe she’d stopped noticing how  _ insane  _ their life was. 

Will hadn’t. 

“Where’s dad?” He managed to ask.

She waved her hands dismissively. “Oh he just came across a very unexpected... completely expected setback. But he will be fine.”

Will relaxed slightly, a frown tugging at his lips at the lack of details. 

In the silence, Felicity crossed over to him, suddenly grim. 

“It’s actually...  _ you _ I’m worried about.” 

It was the distinct _I-know-what-you-did_ mom tone that had alarm bells going off in his head. He froze, mind whirling trying to figure out exactly _what_ she knew... there were several things on the table after all.

“I told you-” He said quickly.

She didn’t bother to let him finish, stating matter of factly. “That you’ve been lying to me.” 

Will took a step back, pressing his lips together. Like  _ she _ had any right to talk. 

Felicity's eyes were full of disappointment as she regarded him. “I went to check your midterm results online and came across a _ very  _ convincing... and  _ very _ fake version of your school’s website.” 

Will couldn’t help the small flood of relief that swept through him even as his stomach dropped. _ Lesser of two evils _ , his mind supplied.  _ Rather that secret come out than the other. _

“Felicity-” He started, unsure of what he was going to say, but she kept talking. 

“And I didn’t come across any test results because you didn’t take the exams.” There was steel in her voice and he wanted to wince. “Why?” 

Will dropped his gaze to the counter, wishing desperately that he could lie this whole thing away. But it’d just be worse later if denied it now. The truth had to come out anyway, because he didn’t have a school to go _back_ to at the end of the week.  It was just that...he’d just been hoping for a couple more days of normalcy. Or well, as close as this family could get to normal. 

Will took a deep breath, delaying it for just a few more seconds, and then forced himself to look Felicity in the eyes, bracing himself for the coming storm.

“Because I got expelled.” He admitted, all in a rush. 

There was a moment of silence as her eyes widened. 

And then- 

“You w _ hat?” _

Under the weight of her gaze, he quailed, looking away.

“William, you got  _ expelled _ ?” She repeated again, eyes roving his face.

He managed to nod, though his knees felt weak and his heart was starting to pound. 

She let out a shocked whoosh of breath, steadying herself against the counter. “What happened? Why didn’t the school call? No, no.” Her eyes hardened. “Why have you been  _ lying  _ about it?”

Her phone dinged, but she ignored it, eyes set on Will. “William, why didn’t you  _ tell  _ us?”

His voice wouldn’t seem to work so he just shrugged, fiddling with the fabric of his shirt.

Something flashed in her eyes and he realized belatedly that that was the wrong response. 

“William Franklin Clayton-” She snapped and it sounded so much like his mother that his chest actually throbbed and he was suddenly awash in a wave of homesickness. She paused when she caught sight of the stricken look on his face.

On the counter, Felicity’s phone began to ring. She turned in a jerky, frustrated motion, and snatched it up, face pinching slightly when she caught sight of the caller ID. 

“I have to take this. This conversation is  _ not  _ over.” Felicity took a steady, fortifying breath and continued, voice calm again. “William, go on to bed. We’ll discuss this tomorrow, with your father.”

* * *

He’d fallen asleep with the lights on, curled up against the headboard, trying to decide what he was going to tell them. His dreams had been disjointed, swirling echoes of shouts and smoke, and eventually he’d given up and just laid in bed until the light began to poke through his curtains. 

His door creaked open and he rolled over to see Oliver poke his head in. “Hey buddy, time to get up. I made pancakes.”

Will blinked. That was...definitely not how he had expected this morning to go. He got dressed as slowly as humanly possible, different excuses tumbling around in his mind, and deliberated on which pair of socks to wear for several minutes. Finally he couldn’t stall any longer and crept into the kitchen, where Oliver and Felicity were talking in low tones. 

“Good morning, buddy.” His father motioned him towards a seat at the counter and slid a stack of pancakes over. It smelled a hundred times better than his school’s cafeteria food. And Oliver looked...cheerful? Maybe Felicity hadn’t told him yet?

He hesitantly reached for the syrup, drizzling it over the food, a bit of hope kindling in his chest. 

But Felicity, seated on the other counter, shot her husband an incredulous look. 

“You ever get in trouble with your parents?”

“Uh, yeah.” Oliver said brightly. “All the time. Why?” 

“Because William doesn’t need pancakes. William needs to tell us how he got expelled and why he’s been  _ lying _ to us.”

“After pancakes or-”

“No.”

“Ok.” His dad agreed easily, taking back William’s plate then plucking his utensils from his hands. 

Will shot Felicity a dark look, his stomach now grumbling for the out-of-reach pancakes.

“Ready to talk?” 

“About what?” Will replied, just to be difficult. 

“Why you got expelled.” His father helpfully supplied. 

Felicity slid down from the counter, moving to his father’s side, her expression encouraging. “Come on Will, you know you can talk to us about anything, please.” 

_ Not even  _ close _ to the truth. _

Besides, why should  _ he _ have to be so open, when they were the ones that never told him anything? They sure as hell didn’t care about "honest communication" and all that when  _ they _ were withholding information. 

“It’s not a big deal,” Will snapped back. “I just got into a fight.”

“ _What?_ ” Felicity's face was stricken.

“I thought you’d be proud of me.” He shot, unable to keep a bit of the sneer out of his voice. _They asked._ “I went for the nose just like you told me.”

Felicity shifted her attention to Oliver, eyebrows raised. “When did you tell him to go for the nose?”

His father took a steadying breath and said evenly. “That was over a year ago and it was a lesson in  _ self-defense,  _ thank you.”

_ And how do you know this wasn’t self defense too? _ Will wanted to scream. 

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest like it would hold back his kindling anger.

“Buddy, it’s not like you to get into a fight.”

“Why do you guys even care?” Will snapped.

“Every time we spoke you’re telling me how much you love your school, about your new friends and your classes.”

_ Yeah because lying runs in the family, apparently.  _

“What am I missing here?” His dad searched Will’s face.

And just... _ no _ .

It wasn’t fair. He couldn’t just come  _ barging _ back into Will’s life, expecting to just...fix it all, and then it would all be okay.  _ It wasn’t okay.  _

It just burst out of him, fueled by the anger rising in his gut. “Maybe you should have asked how _ I  _ felt for once. But you don’t ask other people for their opinions, you decide everything on your own. Just like you decided to go to prison rather than take care of your family.”

The words were meant to hurt, make his father  _ see _ , but somehow they didn’t feel as good afterwards, floating in the silence. His father just cleared his throat, saying quietly. “I don’t think that’s fair, but okay.” 

After a moment, Oliver went on, voice growing sterner. “William, you got expelled, and young man, you need to understand that in life you have to accept responsibility for your actions.”

Will could barely breathe. He was lecturing Will on not accepting responsibility? When it was  _ Oliver’s _ fault that this whole mess had happened? Will never would had been expelled if he hadn’t been forced to go to that stupid school all alone on the other side of the  _ country.  _ He would be enrolled in Star City with Zoe and still have all his  _ friends  _ and the soccer team and if Oliver hadn’t  _ willing handed himself over for a life-sentence.  _

He nearly choked on the fury rising in chest, the sudden power thrumming under his skin, stretching outwards, reaching. 

_ No, no, no, not NOW.  _

The kitchen faucet started dripping a steady rhythm behind Oliver.

Will eyes flickered over to it, panic stirring in his gut. He _ had to get out of here. _

He shoved his chair back and stood, heart beginning to pound. 

“Yeah, I’m over this.” He snapped, striding out of the kitchen. 

“William.” His father called after him. “We’re not done here. 

He didn’t look back, legs shaking slightly as he rushed to the closest shelter- the hall bathroom, and slammed the door. 

“Deep breaths, deep breaths, it’s  _ fine _ .” He hissed to himself. It wasn’t working.  _ It wasn’t working. _

_ Don’t panic, panic will only make it worse.  _

But he couldn't _stop._

A moment later, the shower head groaned and burst at the sides, water exploded outwards. Will gasped as the cold water hit him, fumbling for a towel as water sprayed over the floor and the walls. He scrambled up into the slippery edge of the bathtub and wrapped it around the faulty shower head, finally halting the spray, leaving the water dripping down into the tub in a soft drizzle. He was soaked and  _ freezing _ . 

_ Gross _ . He squished his way over to the towel rack and wiped off his face. Ugh, his clothes were sticking to him, an uncomfortable feeling, and his mind couldn't help but connect the sensation to the time he’d fallen in the school fountain fully clothed.  _ Fallen. Ha, more like pushed.  _ Yeah, he didn’t miss those miserable first few months of whispers in the hall, taunts about being “Oliver’s Queen Illegitimate Son.” It was used more as a mocking _title_ than a description and he hated it. The incident with the fountain had just been another "prank" in a long line of them, but it had definitely been the most embarrassing moment by far, kids laughing at him as his school books floated around him, the anger, the _shame._

Will realized his mistake a split second after it was too late. 

And suddenly, his body seemed to slip and he was weightless for an instant,  _ grey, glowing branches, stretching outwards into a million directions.  _ Then it was gone, replaced by hazy blue and a cold, familiar pressure surrounding him.

It was only by experience that he managed not to take in a gasping breath, instead pushing upwards until he felt his head break the surface of the water. He flailed for a moment, trying to right himself. and calm the pounding in his chest.

_ Not again.  _

Blue sky above him, familiar brown brick building,  _ there  _ next to him _ \-  _ a garish bronze swordfish with water shooting out of its mouth. 

He was sitting in the knee deep water of the high school fountain, shirt floating up around his armpits.

“No, no, _ no _ . _ ”  _ Will muttered, staring down at his hands underneath the still turbulent water.

An angry shout sounded behind him. “This is private property, kid!” 

Will twisted around, eyes going wide at the sight of a security officer jogging towards him, face twisted into a scowl.

He scrambled, slipping and sliding, to his feet, but his soggy clothes were weighing him down and it took him too long to clamber over the side. 

Will turned to run-where, he wasn’t sure, just  _ away-  _ but the security officer was right there, seizing his arm in an iron grip.

“You’re trespassing.” 

“I...I go to school here!” Will said desperately, jerking on his arm. The man didn't budge. It was so cold out here, Will was already shivering, teeth clacking together loudly.

“I don’t care. You shouldn’t be here, the school grounds are closed for spring break.” The man started pulling him towards the gate, sliding a cell phone out of his pocket with his other hand. “What’s you do, hop the fence? Pick the lock?”

He shook Will’s arm roughly when the boy didn’t answer. 

“It doesn’t matter.” The man grunted, pressing the phone to his ear. “I’m calling the police.”

“What,  _ no _ !” Will jaw dropped, dismay shooting through him in a chilling rush. “Sir, please-”

The man gave him another sharp tug, ignoring his pleas completely. “Hello this is Matt Stoppard, the security officer down at Star City Academy. I’ve just apprehended a trespasser. If you could send an officer over... We’ll be by the front entrance…. No, I’ve got him...Thank you.”

The man pocketed his phone as Will flailed, sputtering for anything to convince the man to just  _ let him go.  _

“They’ll be here in ten minutes, kid.” The man didn’t even look at him, eyes fixed on the street. “Better start deciding what you’ll tell the judge.

* * *

Will stared down at his slightly trembling hands, trying to avoid the curious glances of officers and staff passing by. His skin tingled with the feeling of eyes on him and he shifted uncomfortably. He’d changed enough in the past year right? They probably didn’t recognize him...Will _really_ hoped they didn’t.

A blanket had been wrapped around his shoulders, but he was still dripping a small puddle onto the floor underneath his seat. 

Officer Gillham, the middle-aged redhead who’d been sent to pick him up, had gone off to find some paperwork. He’d taken one look at Will’s bedraggled and miserable face, and hadn’t even bothered to handcuff him. It’s not like Will had anywhere to run in the middle of the crowded police station.

Will shut his eyes tight, trying to sink down in his seat. He couldn’t dislodge the solid ball of  _ dread  _ that had settled into his stomach. His dad and Felicity were gonna be furious. 

If he thought the reaction to his  _ expulsion  _ was bad, he couldn’t even imagine what would happen when they heard he’d been  _ arrested.  _ He’d be grounded for literal  _ years.  _ It’d be a miracle if his dad would even let him out of the house to go back to school. 

_ Ugh.  _ The thought of school left a sour taste in his mouth.

Maybe they’d make an exception to let him see Zoe? But somehow he couldn’t imagine that Mr.Ramirez would be very happy with his daughter hanging out with a "troublemaker." 

So he could say goodbye to his one and  _ only _ friend. 

Will leaned forward and buried his head in his hands, tugging at his hair. 

Everything was falling apart- and it wasn’t like he could  _ explain.  _

_ Why the hell couldn’t he just control it?! _ He couldn’t have just dried off and left the room? Or even thought of some park fountain or a neighborhood pool instead? No, it  _ had _ to be closed school grounds where a security officer was  _ actively patrolling _ .

Of course, it would inevitably leak to the press that Oliver’s Queen son had been arrested (because everything seemed to get back to those vultures eventually). That kind of family drama, especially with such a controversial figure like his dad, would feed the press for  _ weeks _ . 

Not to mention give a whole new set of taunts to the kids at school…wherever that would be next year.

A door closed nearby and a familiar voice cut through the noise, dragging him warily from his panic. “-and tell the association for the hundredth time, blocking off the streets for a parade isn’t SCPD’s decision, they have to submit an application for approval through the city _ first.  _ So they can  _ stop calling me _ .”

The voice moved closer, heels clicking against the marble floors, and Will fought the urge to sink even lower in his seat. Maybe she wouldn’t see him?

“I need the files on those new recruits ASAP, and while we’re at it, Moeller is going on maternity leave- remind me to send flowers- so we’ll need to find a temporary replacement CSI by the end of the week... _ William?” _

Will cracked his eyes open to see Dinah Drake- _ the Black Canary-  _ his mind supplied, standing a few feet away, the files in her hands forgotten as she stared at William. 

_ Drip, drip, drip.  _

She handed off the paperwork to the man next to her, keeping one eye on Will the whole time. “Put these on my desk. We’ll finish this later, something’s come up.”

“Okay, Captain.” The man left, shooting Will a curious look. 

_ Zoe’s Aunt Dinah was the police captain now? When did that happen? _

“William.” Dinah said tersely, moving to his side. “What’s going on, is everything alright?” 

Office Gillham chose that moment to reappear, tossing some papers down on his desk, and raising his eyebrows. “You know this kid, Captain?”

She gave Will a considering look before saying flatly. “He’s best friends with my niece.”

The man whistled. “Maybe you should rethink that. Kid got caught trespassing over at Star City Academy. Apparently he was swimming in the school fountain.”

Dinah’s eyebrows reached upwards but other than that she didn’t react. “In February?” 

Her eyes flickered down to the small puddle collecting under her chair and back to Will's downcast expression.

“Who reported him?” She said, finally shifting her attention off Will.

“The school’s security officer.” The cop pointed across the bullpen to where Stoppard sat, leaning over a clipboard. “He’s writing up his info now.” 

“Give me a minute.” Dinah said abruptly, walking away without a glance back.

William watched her converse with Stoppard out of the corner of his eye for several minutes. She pointed over to Will, and the man looked at him, grimacing, and tugged at his beard. Finally he gave a slow nod. 

Dinah took the clipboard from him, said something more, and came striding back to them.

“Mr. Stoppard has decided to let it slide this time, considering your clean record and...clear remorse.” She announced crisply.

Office Gillham gave a nod, and paused a moment look at Will. “You got really lucky this time, kid. Do that again and it could end up on your permanent record. You want that when you’re trying to get a job? Go to college?”

“This way, William.” Dinah’s face was expressionless as Will followed her across the bullpen and into a large office. 

She motioned Will to a seat and crossed to sit at her desk. Will watched her organize papers for several minutes before she finally looked up, focusing the full weight of her gaze on him. 

“So...trespassing.”

He stayed carefully still. “Uh...yeah.”

“Want to share with me why you were trespassing on school property during spring break? I was under the impression that most kids wanted to get as far as they can from school.”

Will just shrugged. 

“Okay, we’re gonna play it like that?” Dinah said, eyebrows raised. 

They sat in silence for a long minute, Dinah watching him patiently. Will got the sudden feeling she'd be able to wait for hours without batting an eye.

Will finally shifted, fixing his gaze on the file cabinet behind her. “It was... for a dare.” He muttered.

Dinah tsked, leaning back in her chair. “Try again.”

Will blinked at her. 

“Come on,” She said, almost challengingly. “That’s the best excuse you could think of?”

He scowled, looking down to the floor. 

“William," Dinah gave him a hard look, crossing her arms. "Gillham was right, something like this could really screw up your future. Was it worth it? Impressing your friends?”

Will didn’t say a word.

Dinah let out a sigh, pulling her cell phone from her coat. “Oliver’s not gonna be happy about this.”

That had Will snapping upright as panic flooded his chest. “Wait, please don’t call him!”

She paused, wiggling her phone. “Are you going to tell me why you were trespassing, then?”

He considering this for a moment, and asked carefully. “Are you gonna call my dad?”

Dinah looked vaguely amused at his attempts to make a deal. “Depends on if you start talking.” 

She smiled sweetly, and okay, Will could see the whole police captain interrogation thing now, wow, that was terrifying.

He picked at his shirt, trying to delay as long as possible, mind spinning for an adequate story.

Dinah waved the phone expectantly.

“Me and my dad…we got in a fight.” He finally admitted vaguely. 

She quirked a crooked smile, her phone disappearing back into her pocket. “That’s pretty normal, kid.”

“Afterwards...I was angry.”  _ Not technically a lie.  _

“Ah.” She gave a short huff, relaxing back in her chair. “So this was a teenage rebellion kinda thing. The best thing you could think of was getting arrested swimming in the school fountain in  _ February? _ ” 

“It’s not like I  _ meant  _ to!” He snapped before he could stop himself. 

Dinah tapped on the arm of her chair casually, pushing around some papers almost absentmindedly. “Now what do you mean by that?”

Warning bells went off in his head even as he frowned at the unexpected disinterest. 

“Just that I...fell in. In the fountain.” He forced himself to shrug despite the pounding in his chest. She saw right through him,  _ of course  _ she saw right through him, he was trying to lie to a  _ police captain  _ who was also the legendary  _ Black Canary.  _ Could she tell somehow?  _ Could metahumans recognize other metas on sight?  _

“I wasn’t planning on  _ swimming. _ ” He slid on a scowl, trying not to fidget under her gaze. “And, I didn’t mean to get arrested. Or get caught.” 

She watched him, expressionless for a long moment, before giving a bit of a sigh and a chuckle. “William, you’re as transparent with your emotions as your father.”

He blinked, confused.

“I’m saying you’re a bad liar.” She clarified, sliding back effortlessly into cop mode. 

“Look, this isn’t hard William. You tell me what’s going on, and I help you figure it out. Or I call your dad, and let him come down to the station and _he_ can help us figure it out. I’m fine either way. You choose.”

_ You choose. _

And in one single moment, Will was back on that boat, the deck rocking slightly beneath his feet,  _ a knife scraping at the edge of his throat, Adrian’s hand in his hair, and blind, paralyzing fear filling every atom of his being.  _

_ “William or everyone else. You choose. Right now.” _

_ Olive lowered his bow and Will couldn’t bring himself to be surprised. It made sense. Felicity and Thea were on that island, Oliver’s whole team- his best friends- who’d he known much longer than Will _ _ … He hadn’t seen Oliver in years anyway, he was surprised the man even remembered his name, no matter what crazy stories Adrian was always spouting about them being father and son…  _

_ Oliver had made his choice, and losing Will was the better end of the deal. After all, what was one life against a dozen. Oh god, he was going to die, here on this boat, Oliver’s heartbroken expression burning into his skull, a psychopath murdering him for some vendetta Will didn’t even understand. Smoke, filling his lungs, his throat, Will couldn’t breath- he - he couldn’t-  _

“-and me. You’re in the police station. You’re safe.” Dinah’s voice broke through the smoke, level and even. “It’s a Monday, February 11, 2019. It’s just us. You and me. You’re not there. You’re in the police station. You’re safe-”

She kept repeating the same thing over and over, voice utterly calm, until the smoke finally drained from his lungs and the boat was finally,  _ blessedly,  _ gone. He cracked open a gluey eye and found himself on the floor, forehead pressed up against the cold marble. 

Dinah finally ended her manta when he pushed himself upwards with shaking arms. 

“You need a hand?” She asked quietly. The police captain was crouched carefully in the corner, as far as she could get from Will-  _ making herself as less of a threat as she could-  _ he realized distantly.

He shook his head jerkily, not trusting his voice. He wanted to stand but his legs felt like jelly and his whole body still trembled so he settled on sitting cross legged instead, carefully avoiding Dinah’s eyes. 

_ God, she’d seen the whole embarrassing thing.  _

“William.” Her tone was uncharacteristically soft. “Have you had those before?”

He shrugged, hunching his shoulders. 

“So that’s a yes.” 

Will wondered distantly if Dinah’s powers included telepathy as well. If she heard the thought, she didn’t show it, didn’t even shift. 

“Does Oliver know?” She asked, keeping her voice quiet, unhurried. 

But the mention of his father had him scrambling to his feet, dread coursing through his chest. “No, he  _ can’t. _ ”

She slowly rose too, not moving from her spot, hands held up placatingly. 

“William, you need to tell Oliver or Felicity that this is going on.” 

Like he was going to tell his dad, the freaking  _ Green Arrow, _ the unshakeable vigilante who fought criminals and psychopaths and came home smiling and joking, that Will got freaked out over  _ words.  _ Yeah, what a son to be proud of. 

“I want to go home.” He muttered, swiping one hand across his damp eyes. "Please...just take me home."

* * *

Dinah pulled up to the side of Will’s building, but didn't unlock the door yet.

“Your arrest can stay between us,” She said, a grim note in her voice. “As long as you tell your dad what’s been going on.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him with a steely look.

“I’m not joking around here, William. You tell him before you go back to school, or I will.’

He finally managed a weak nod and fumbled for the door handle. As he climbed out of the car and into the chilly air, she called, “And if you anything as stupid as trespassing again, don’t expect any help from me.”

Her car remained parked there until Will was safely inside the building.

He collapsed against the wall of the elevator, staring blindly at his reflection in the mirrored walls.

_ His father would probably wish he'd never taken Will in by the time this week was over.  _

He had to take a deep breath before he could work up the courage to open the apartment door, wincing as it announcing loudly. _“_ _ Welcome, William.” _

“Will?” Felicity stood up from the couch, sending a confused glance to his closed bedroom door. “I thought you were in your room, when did you go out?”

“Just wanted some air.” He muttered, beelining for his room.

“Okay, um, please let me know next time.” She said, a bit flustered. “Uh, by the way the plumber’s here, something weird happened with the shower, water  _ everywhere _ -”

He slammed the door in the middle of her sentence, clenching his fingers tightly so they wouldn’t shake.

“Everything-everything is fine-it’s all.. _ fine.”  _ He whispered to his empty room.

But this time, he couldn’t bring himself to believe it.


	3. Chapter 3

_“Score!”_

A boy in a bright yellow jersey clapped him on the back, grinning. "Nice one!"

 _David-_ Will thought maybe his name was. They'd been on the same soccer team in middle school. But- _how?_

Will spun in a circle, gaping at the goal in front of him, the trees spread out behind him, the carefully trimmed green grass of the field beneath his feet.

“Will!” A familiar voice called. He froze and sucked in a quick breath, eyes going wide, the game forgotten. 

_It couldn't be._

Will turned slowly, something clenched in his chest, a hope he couldn't quite grasp playing at the edges of his mind.

His mother stood there on the bleachers, in her matching jersey repping his team, beaming at him. “Great shot!”

 _“Mom?”_ He choked out, and then he was running, shoving aside his teammates and taking the bleacher's wide steps in three leaps. He nearly tripped on the last one, throwing himself at her. Her arms came up to catch him, long hair brushing his neck, and he breathed in the flowery scent of her perfume, relief sweeping through like a tidal wave.

_She’s here. She’s here. She’s okay._

He took in a trembling breath, squeezing her tighter. 

“Will, what it is?” She asked, concern bleeding into her voice.

He pushed back, catching one glimpse of her face, brow creased worry, whole and healthy and beautiful and _alive._ And then something _crashed_ and he was staring at the dull blue of Oliver's apartment ceiling, heart pounding in his chest. 

“Sorry!” Felicity's muffled voice called from another room. “Just dropped a glass!” 

Will rolled quickly into his side, his brain struggling to catch up as his eyes roved over the room.

 _Star City._ Not Central. He was in Star City. With Oliver and Felicity. Because his mom was _dead_. 

_Will couldn't breathe._

He threw off his blanket, rushing to his still unpacked bag, shoving aside the dirty socks and school uniform. He carefully pulled out a large plastic bag and sat back down on his bed. Taking a deep breath, he unzipped it, sliding the dark grey sweater out.

William pressed it to his face with shaking hands and breathed it in. 

He could smell her perfume. He’d forgotten about that stuff, some tangy scent of a flower clinging to her sweater that still felt as soft as the day they’d bought it together. 

It was faint now. Soon, there wouldn’t be any scent at all. Nothing left of her.

Will’s face screwed up and he shoved his pillow in front of his face before the sob could work its way out of his chest. 

Something was tangled heavy in his chest. He wanted-he wanted his _mom._

_Will wanted his mom._

Or someone who would _understand._

Will fumbled for his cell phone, trying to stifle his tears, scrolling through his contacts with shaking hands. He clutched the phone to his ear, desperately listening to it ring, praying he wouldn’t be sent to voice mail.

“Hello?” A voice called and Will had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stifle another sob. 

“Hi Mimi.” He managed to choke out. 

“Is everything alright?” His grandma asked, tone brimming with familiar concern, sounding _so_ very like his mother. That enough sent moisture prickling at his eyelids. _How could she always tell when something was wrong, before he’d even said anything?_

“William? Did something happen?”

Will's mind flashed to his and Oliver’s endless arguments, finding himself in the school fountain, getting _arrested_ and dragged down to the police station. He clenched his teeth tight but couldn’t hold back a sniffle. His hands were squeezing the sweater so tightly that his knuckles turned white. 

“I just... I miss Mom.” Will managed to get out.

“Oh, honey.” His grandma murmured. “We do too.”

Will’s face screwed up and he curled over his mom’s sweater, eyes screwed tightly shut. 

“I wish…” _that Mom was still alive. That I still lived in Star City with her and had you and Grandpop just a bus ride away and that we could still have pie on Sunday nights and I could go out and play soccer and swim and not have to worry about being murdered or transporting to another place..._

“William, hon, are you sure everything is alright there?” Mimi’s voice turned sharp. “Did something happen with your father?”

He swiped a hand across his moist eyes, double checking that his door was still closed. 

“No.” William couldn’t help the bit of bitterness that crept into his shaky voice. “He’s too _busy_ to do anything but gripe at me anyway.”

“I can have a talk with him and-” She- she sounded _angry._

William shook his head sharply, taking a sniffling breath. “No, _don’t._ Don’t call him, please.”

There was a beat of silence before his grandmother acquiesced. “Okay, William.”

“I just miss her.” William squeezed his eyes shut against the tears still fighting to escape. “And _you_. And Grandpop. And my friends, and Central City, and a _normal life._ ”

“Oh, William." She said softly. "Do you not like it in Star City?”

There was a long moment of silence as Will picked at his bedspread. 

“...No.” He admitted. _Not anymore._

Once, Star City had meant his father, and Felicity, and new relationships, and adventure. But now… things were different. Because once, he’d had safety, he’d had security, he’d trusted his father’s word, trusted him to keep them safe. But not anymore. 

Because his father had lied. Over and over again. 

_“I am never, ever, walking away from you.”_

And yet, Will had watched him turn away, walk over the cops to be handcuffed, and be led straight out the door. Leaving him and Felicity to fend for themselves against a _psychopath._

 _“I’m never gonna let anything happen to you William, ever.”_

Ricardo Diaz broke down their front door, threatened them, tried to _kill them_ and Oliver was stuck in prison, where he’d gone _of his own accord._

_“No more secrets, no more lies.”_

_What a joke._ No, he didn’t trust his father’s word anymore. Not when he knew Oliver wouldn't keep it.

“William?” His grandmother said, hesitantly.

“How are you and Grandpop?” Will asked, forcing a brighter tone into his voice.

“Will-”

“Please. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” He took a steadying breath, leaning back against his pillows. “Just...tell me about Central. How are the neighbors? Is Mrs. Carlton still trying to steal your pie recipes?”

His grandmother sighed, but she let him change the subject, launching into a description of the drama happening in their small cul-de-sac. Will let his head flop back against his pillows, closing his eyes so he could imagine it all. 

The toddlers that lived across the street with that one young couple were all grown up and headed off to first grade. The neighbor boy, Keith, had apparently started a band with his friends and was keeping the whole street up at night with his drum practice, which his grandmother ranted about for nearly ten minutes _alone_. “ _I don’t want to be mean... but he has no sense of rhythm, William. Not even a pinch.”_

And by the time she’d wrapped up a story about Grandpop accidentally driving away with one of the neighbor’s cats on top of his car, it was nearly an hour later and Will had actually found himself laughing, tears dried on his face. 

Felicity was tucked away in the master bedroom when he finally hung up with Mimi so he felt safe venturing out into the living room for a glass of water, throat dry from talking for so long. There was a Rubix Cube on the bookshelf and William couldn’t stop himself from going over and picking it up, twisting it experimentally. There’d been a boy in his class who’d been obsessed with the thing, and could solve one in two minutes. They hadn’t really been friends, but Will had wondered how he did it. 

Absentmindedly, he sat down on the couch, attention focused on the cube. He got one row all red but couldn’t get further. Every time he tried to get another row done, he’d mess up his first one. He glared at the cube.

“Your father is going to make his famous chili tonight.”

Will stiffened as he registered Felicity entering the living room, sliding a book back into place on shelf next to the counter. He pointedly didn’t look up. He didn’t have the strength to deal with her right now.

“Does he really think that making dinner is gonna solve everything?” He muttered. 

_Go away, go away, go away._ He thought hard in her direction.

It didn’t work. She settled down on the ottoman across from her and Will could see her smiling that fake _I’m cracking a joke to try to ease the tension in the air_ face. Did she think he was an idiot?

“I mean, it’s his chili we’re talking about, I’m pretty sure it could solve world peace.”

Will fixed his gaze on the Rubix Cube again and didn’t laugh, turning it again. _Why was this stupid game so hard?_

“Let me see that.” Felicity extended a hand. 

He twisted it once more, getting nowhere, and tried not scowl. 

Will handed it over with a shrug, shoulder tense. “It’s impossible.”

“Actually, solving a Rubix Cube is a lot like running an algorithm.” Felicity told him. 

Will watched as she quickly began twisting the cube this way and that, colors slowly melding into a pattern. She looked up as she spoke, earnest and calm, making sure he was following, and he felt just a tiny bit of his anger towards her melt. 

“Actually, my favorite pattern is a cube... within a cube!” She straightened as she finished, giving him a small smile, and held it out. 

Will saw it for what it was: _a peace offering._

Will hesitated, his anger warring with his curiosity, but he eventually reached out and took it. 

“That’s pretty cool.” He admitted, and let a bit of his scowl slip away. 

“Yeah. ”

There was a high pitched whir and door swung open as a monotone voice announced. _“The Green Arrow has entered through the front door.”_

He let his face fade into blankness again as he gave his father one skeptical glance and returned his attention to the puzzle. 

Felicity chuckled as the door finished its announcement, holding out her hands. 

“The Green Arrow?” His father asked, looking amused. He drifted slowly into the edge of Will’s vision, pausing in the entryway.

“Well you know, I’d thought I’d give the security system a little... _personality_.” 

Will fought the urge to make a face. With the flat monotone, the door honestly gave off creepy _machines-take-over-the-world_ kinda vibes. Not that he was going to tell Felicity that. 

“Hey, buddy.” His dad’s tone was forcefully bright and Will almost bristled.

There was that world again. _Buddy._

His father spoke up again into the silence, voice quiet. “Help me unpack these bags.”

The hurt in his voice was clear. But Will couldn’t really bring himself to care. 

“I’m good.” He tacked on an indifferent shrug, not even bothering to look up. 

Felicity pushed herself to her feet, making one of those faces. 

“I’m gonna give you two a moment alone. Give me those, thank you.” She took the grocery bags from his father and moved into the kitchen, purposefully beginning to unpack.

His father stepped closer. 

“William, I understand why you were mad at me, before. You have every right to be mad at me, okay?”

Will risked a quick glance at his father’s face and quickly ducked his head again, hating the understanding he saw there. His father didn’t _get_ to pretend like he understood, he _couldn’t_ understand. 

“You’re a tough kid.” His father said quietly, settling into the seat across from him. “And I forget sometimes that you are just… a kid.”

Will looked at his father, something tired in his chest. Maybe he’d been a kid a few months ago. When he’d believed adults and blindly- _stupidly_ \- thought everything would always turn out okay. But then his father volunteered for prison and he went into witness protection _again,_ and Diaz showed up to murder them, and Will was sent off for months to live under a new name. Alone. 

“...That’s lived in 4 different cities over the past 2 years.” Oliver continued. “That’s tough.”

And Will felt a little bit of anger kindle in his chest again. _No shit, Sherlock._

His dad took a deep breath. “That’s one of the many reasons that Felicity and I think that you should come back here and... live with us.”

Will sat back, staring at his father. _What?_ After practically begging to come home after Diaz was defeated, they’d told him no, he was already adjusted to that school, he should finish out the year there. And now they changed their minds and wanted him to come home. Just like that? And sure... he didn’t really have a choice he’d been expelled, but... was this what the rest of his life was going to be?

Hopping between being sent away for his own protection when things got dangerous and then being brought back at the drop of a hat whenever they determined it was safe again? Being sent to a new school somewhere in the states (or hell, he wouldn’t put _Canada_ past his dad) every other month, then back home, then away again, adjusting over and over again? Enemies wouldn’t stop coming just because his dad’s identity was out now, if anything there would probably be _more,_ all wanting to manipulate him through his _family_ -

Will’s glass of water on the table next to him trembled slightly-

_“Warning. Warning. Unidentified person at the front door.”_

His dad twisted to look at the door, and Will saw the change on his face as he switched into Green Arrow mode. 

Will carefully set down the cube and stood as his father did. Oliver approached the door carefully, like it was likely there was a threat on the other side and Will's mind darted back to a hail of gunfire, tearing their old apartment into pieces as he and Felicity cowered in the bedroom, so terrified that Oliver would be overrun. He shifted on his feet, ready to run. 

_Couch would work for temporary protection, or if they could get to the bedroom, they could slide a dresser in front of the door. Out the window wasn’t an option here, too high up... maybe behind the counter? If he could get to the knives next to the stove..._

“Did you?” His father whispered to Felicity, who shook her head. 

His dad approached the door slowly, and too casually for Will’s liking- _shouldn't he have a weapon, or a gun or something?-_ but he trailed behind his father anyway, because _one-_ Oliver was the best fighter out of all of them and he’d protect them and _two_ \- Will was closer to the relative safety of the bedroom this way.

His dad paused a moment, looking through the distorted glass pane on their door like it would help him figure out who was there.

Will felt a pang of anxious irritation. _High tech door and it didn’t even have a camera?_

Oliver reached out and swung it quickly open. 

Will gaped. 

Mimi and Grandpop stood there in hall, both scowling in a way that Will rarely saw.

Shit. _Shit._

Will ducked his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He should have known they’d show up if he called when he was distressed. Mimi was notoriously protective and had... never quite gotten along with Oliver.

Okay, that was an understatement. She hated his guts. She’d never forgiven the Queens for abandoning his mom with nothing but a check when she’d first gotten pregnant. Then the whole Green Arrow thing happened and his mom was gone and Will almost died like four times. 

He snuck a glance at them. Yeah, Mimi was trying to burn Oliver alive with her glare. His grandpop’s arms were crossed as he stared Oliver down. That _enough_ was cause for concern. His grandfather angry... was a rare, rare thing. 

And to some degree, it warmed his heart to see his grandparents having driven 500 miles to make sure he was okay... but at the same time... this showdown was going to be _bad_. Will wondered if he'd be able to escape to Zoe's if he sprinted out the door now. _Who was he kidding, he wouldn't even be able to make it to the stairwell before the Green Arrow caught up._

_Shit, he shouldn’t have called her._

Oliver seemed almost at a loss for words. “Mr. and Mrs. Clayton. What are you doing here?” 

“Our grandson called us.”

Felicity turned a shocked face to William but he fixed his gaze on the floor. 

His father seemed to remember himself after a moment. “Um, well, please come in.” 

His grandparents stepped inside, shaking their head when Felicity offered to take their coats. 

Mimi caught sight of him and hurried over to pull him into a hug, squeezing him so tightly he couldn’t breath for a few seconds. Over her shoulder, he could see Oliver’s bewildered expression.

“Are you okay?” She asked, eyes roving over him almost as if searching for an injury.

“I’m fine, Mimi.” He said quietly.

Mimi looked unconvinced, but stepped back, looking to Oliver and Felicity.

“I’ll skip to the point.” Mimi announced, setting one hand on Will’s shoulder. “We’re concerned about William."

Will really, _really_ wanted to sink into the floor.

“I understand and appreciate," Oliver began. "After everything that happened, why you two might be worried."

Grandpop raised his eyebrows, distinctly unimpressed. 

"But we can assure you that- that going forward, things will be better and more stable, ok?" His father said.

Mimi stood straight and tall, staring Oliver down. “They will be." 

Grandpop gave a nod, murmuring. “Right.” 

“Because we’re taking him with us.” Mimi finished.

_They were... what?_

There was a ringing in William’s ears and he only vaguely heard his grandparents continue. 

“We’re filing a suit for guardianship.”

“No, You can’t do that.” Felicity broke in.

Mimi raised her eyebrows at the woman, gaze full of steel. It almost seemed to say _try me._

His grandmother was _serious?_

“William, we need to speak with your grandparents alone.” His father didn’t even turn to look at him, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Mimi.

_Because of course William didn’t get a say in his own damn life._

He ground his teeth, huffing, but turned away.

It was silent as he walked back to his room, the adults clearly waiting until they thought he was out of earshot.

Will made sure they could hear his door click shut and then he leaned against it, pressing his ear to the wood.

“...a convicted _felon._ ” His grandfather was saying, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. _“_ You were absent for most of his life. And then once you showed up... he’s kidnapped! He’s sent into hiding from a mob boss-” 

Oliver’s low voice interrupted but it was too quiet for him to hear. Will cast a glance around his bedroom for a glass or something he could use to help the amplify sound but there was nothing. 

“William is _my son_ -” His father’s voice dropped again and Will pressed his ear harder against the door.

He could only catch snatches now; they were too quiet.

_“-nobody- take-”_

All went silent and heavy footsteps came down the hall. Will threw himself backwards away from the door, snatching a random book off his shelf and cracking it open.

The footsteps paused for a long moment outside his room but continued on. He heard his dad’s office door shut a bit louder than usual.

There was a quiet knock on his door a few minutes later, and he pulled it open to find Mimi on the other side. 

She gave him a soft smile, though her eyes still looked angry.

“William, can I speak to you for a moment?”

He nodded, stepping back to let her enter. 

She took a seat on the edge of his bed, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry we didn’t have time to discuss this before we talked to Oliver, William. I didn’t want to come out of the blue, but… I just couldn’t wait any longer.”

Will fixed his eyes on a dirt smudge on the corner of his rug. “You really want me to...come and live with you?”

“We wanted it from the start, William.” His grandmother said quietly and his eyes went wide, looking to her. 

“Will, your... dad.” She hesitated just slightly on the word, grimacing like it was sour on her tongue. “He never should have involved you in such a dangerous world. He promised us he would be able to provide a safe and _stable_ , loving home for you. And yet you’ve almost _died_ several times in the past few years because of your father’s _superhero dress-up_.”

He gaped a little at the bitterness tinging her voice.

“The... the city needs a hero.” He muttered, avoiding her eyes. 

Because as much as the Green Arrow had torn his life apart, he’d seen the good his father had done.

“You should be more important than the city, William.” Mimi replied, harshly.

Will ducked his head, and heard his grandmother sigh. She squeezed his shoulder. 

“Jacob still asks about you, you know.” She told him quietly. “He wants to come when you’re coming to visit.”

Will felt a pang of nostalgia. Jacob had been his best friend in Central and had lived a few houses down from Will’s. They’d been inseparable- trying out for the soccer team together, sitting in adjacent desks, joining the same school clubs. Will had spent every other weekend at Jacob’s house, playing with his two excitable German Shepherds, and avoiding his annoying little sister. They’d known _everything_ about each other. 

He hadn’t made a friend like Jacob since then, other than Zoe. He hadn’t gotten the chance, what with getting kidnapped several times, moving every few months, and the whole Green Arrow reveal and subsequent backlash.

Just another thing he’d had to leave behind when he left Central. He and Jacob still texted sometimes. But it wasn’t the same. They didn’t really have much in common anymore, what with Will’s billionaire vigilante dad appearing out of the woodwork and Will disappearing into hiding for months at a time. 

“He says the soccer team isn’t the same without you." Mimi continued, with a tight smile. "Tryouts for this year’s team are in a few months.”

Will chewed on his lip. He hadn’t gotten a chance to play in so long. He… missed it. 

His grandma squeezed his shoulder, standing. “I know it’s a shock, Will, but living in Central City far away from all this vigilante chaos will be best for you.”

He managed a dazed nod.

“Call me if you need anything, alright?”

“Okay.”

The door shut behind her, but Will’s eyes were fixed on the floor, mind swirling. It would be... so easy, to slip back into life in Central City. Go back to his old school, have all his old friends back. 

Everything could go back to how it was before, before it all went so wrong, when he was happy and carefree and didn’t have to watch his back every moment or worry about behind kidnapped or killed or sent away. 

He sat on his shaking hands, squeezing his eyes tightly closed.

_Everything could be okay again._

* * *

“Can I speak with you for a moment?” Oliver's voice cut through the silence of the kitchen and Will nearly choked on his soda, taking another long swig to avoid having to answer.

_Shit, he thought his dad was occupied with the phone._

When he turned away from the fridge, apathetic mask fixed in place, Will didn't even try to keep the bitterness out of his voice. “Why? Sounds like you got to go save the city again.”

“William, get _over here and sit down.”_

The tone alone made Will freeze up, his feet moving almost of their own accord around the kitchen counter. It was the angriest he'd ever heard his dad sound when it was directed at _Will_ himself.

A scowl coming over his face, Will walked over, setting his glass down with a purposeful _clink_.

He leveled his father with an impatient look. “What?”

“Your grandparents are trying to take you away from me." His father said, something almost wild in his eyes. "There is no chance that’s gonna happen, but I cannot- _I cannot_ \- have you phoning for backup every time that you’re mad at me.”

“It’s the only thing that got you to listen!” Will snapped back, because it wasn't like he had _asked_ Mimi and Grandpop to come, but there was something satisfying about his father actually having to _listen_ and not just make decisions for everyone else for once. 

“You think I’m not listening?" Oliver was almost shouting now and Will stiffened, something fiery stirring in his gut at how unfair it all was. That _he_ was the one being shouted at. "I have _heard_ and _felt_ every single terrible thing that you’ve said to me since you’ve been back!”

His father's hand dropped, something desperate and exhausted coming into his expression. 

“Come on." He murmured. "I’m-I’m trying my best.” 

And part of Will warred with him, to step back, to apologize, to _cry-_

But he'd held out for this long, handled almost being murdered by a obsessive killer- _killers plural-_ without _crying_ over it, even when he was _abandoned on the other side of the country_ cut off from everyone he knew at a dumb boarding school. Even when he had to deal with developing _powers_ that he knew nothing about, not when he'd almost _drowned_ , trying desperately to hide it from his classmates and his teachers, no one around that he could trust to help.

He sure as hell wasn't going to cry _now_ and he wasn't going to back down this time because _Will wasn't the one who deserved to be yelled at._

He wasn't the one who abandoned his _family-_ his _son-_ who'd let Will get _kidnapped,_ who let his _mother-._

There was a nearly imperceptible creak from the ceiling.

“That’s the problem- whenever you’re around- things always get _worse_!” Will shouted, and for once, he didn't falter when his father tried to butt in, barreling right on. “You want to give me a normal life?”

“Yes! That’s all I’ve ever tried to do!" His father yelled. "That’s why I-that’s why I’ve asked you to come back here and live with Felicity and I.”

Nothing about this family was _normal._ Let alone their day-to-day lives. For god's sake, Oliver and Felicity fought super-villains and terrorists every other day. If that was _normal..._ he-he didn't want any part in it.

_Mimi was right._

_He'd never be safe here._

“That isn’t a normal life!" Will yelled, and before he could allow himself to chicken out, he shouted. "I want to go live with my grandparents.” 

His father looked stricken, actually freezing in place. Heart pounding in his chest, Will spun on a heel and fled the room.

In the apartment next door, unbeknownst to Will, a middle aged couple were staring wide-eyed at the burst pipe dumping buckets of water from the ceiling into their Persian rug.

 _It would be better this way._ Will mentally recited over and over, as he slammed the door behind him and and collapsed into his bed.

His father didn't follow.

Will hated that it still stung. He shut his eyes tight, trying to breath evenly, to calm the shaking in his hands.

Back in his old town, with his grandparents, his friends. No psychopaths, no bullies, no Green Arrow, no code names. 

_It would be better._

...

And then... 

_“It’s so nice to meet you, William. I’m Stanley Dover. I’m your dad’s best friend."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys... it's been a while! I had a really tough time with this chapter and had to set it aside for a bit. I'm sorry it's kinda short and pretty close to the show but it's a bridge to the AU part of this story. Just had to get past this part so things can really start rolling!
> 
> A bunch of the later chapters are already written, so updates will not be as slow!! 
> 
> Thank you for all your comments and support, they mean the world to me!


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